Gender-related challenges of cash transfer beneficiaries involved in the informal economy in Johannesburg

ABSTRACT

Although cash transfers primarily support beneficiaries’ consumption of goods for basic needs, there is a growing body of evidence demonstrating that they can promote livelihood activities. Yet there has been limited understanding of the gender-related challenges of female beneficiaries who participate in such livelihood activities. This paper presents findings from an exploratory qualitative study conducted in a poor urban community of Johannesburg. Giddens's structuration theory provides an analytical lens to understand the gender-related challenges and responses of female beneficiaries in conducting livelihood activities. The findings show that even though female and male beneficiaries were found to engage in the same income-generating activities, the former were confronted with gender-related challenges that limit their economic progress. This study contributes to understanding the gender-related challenges and dynamics of female operators in the informal economy, who are overrepresented among those impoverished by COVID-19 pandemic and as such need special attention and effective economic support.

KEYWORDS:

• Informal economic challenges
• gender
• social protection
• livelihood activities
• Soweto

Acknowledgements

The author is grateful to the National Research Foundation for funding the project from which this paper is produced. He acknowledges the important role Nomsa Zikalala played as the research assistant for the project. And would also like to thank the editor and reviewers for their thoughtful and constructive comments, which have helped in improving the paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 A name of a popular drug in townships in South Africa.

2 An isiZulu word that means money-lender.

3 She owns a money-lending business, sells hampers, and works as a packer in a hardware store.

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by National Research Foundation (NRF): [Grant Number 84180].